Addition of Experienced Partners Strengthen Firm’s Private Equity Practice in Chicago, the United States and Abroad
(Chicago) December 6, 2010 – DLA Piper today announced that David H. Lee, Robert C. Davis and Fred W. Blakeslee II have joined the firm’s Private Equity practice as partners in the Chicago office. The group joins the firm from Mayer Brown LLP.
Representing private equity funds, as well as public and private companies, the team focuses on handling sophisticated business transactions around the globe which involve private equity investments.
”David, Rob and Fred have developed a high-profile private equity practice which includes significant experience handling transactions in the US and Asia, as well as a variety of other regions around the globe,” said Steve Napolitano, chair of DLA Piper’s US Private Equity practice. “Beyond our presence in the United States, DLA Piper’s unique global platform, including our offices in Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo, matches well with the international needs of their clients.”
“The addition of these highly regarded partners is the latest milestone in the strategic growth of our private equity and transactional capabilities in Chicago, as well as nationally,” said David Mendelsohn, chair of DLA Piper’s Chicago Corporate and Finance practice. “In particular, their arrival strengthens our leveraged acquisitions experience and will also be a nice complement to our already strong Mergers and Acquisitions practice.”
“We look forward to the contributions of this accomplished team as we continue to expand the Chicago office with lawyers looking to leverage our global platform,” explained William Rudnick, managing partner of DLA Piper’s Chicago office.
About the Lawyers
David H. Lee focuses his practice on complex business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, and venture capital and minority equity investments.
Fluent in both English and Korean, Lee has handled a wide variety of transactions on behalf of private equity sponsors and has advised clients on matters valued from several million dollars to more than $2 billion.
Lee received a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law and a B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Robert C. Davis focuses his practice on private equity leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and growth equity investments. He has handled transactions ranging from several million dollars to more than $1 billion and has represented closely held companies, public companies and numerous private equity funds.
Davis received a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Georgia School of Law, an M.B.A. from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, and an A.B. from Duke University.
Fred W. Blakeslee II focuses his practice on private equity-leveraged buyouts, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and growth equity investments. He received a J.D. cum laude from Northwestern School of Law and both a B.S. and B.A. from Ohio State University.
About DLA Piper’s US Private Equity Practice
DLA Piper’s US Private Equity practice represents private equity funds as well as their principals, management teams, institutional investors, financing sources and portfolio companies in all types of transactions and industries. Clients range from emerging managers to “unfunded” sponsors to traditional sponsors managing billions of dollars in committed capital. In this role, the firm’s US Private Equity practice has helped establish DLA Piper as the top-ranked global M&A legal advisor by deal volume during the first nine months of 2010, according to Mergermarket.
About DLA Piper (www.dlapiper.com)
DLA Piper has 3,500 attorneys in 30 countries and 69 offices throughout the US, UK, Continental Europe, Middle East and Asia. In certain jurisdictions, this information may be considered attorney advertising.
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